Mastering The Basics Of Messages in iOS10

Apple’s messaging app has been revamped, and it’s more feature-rich, more powerful, and more fun than it has ever been.

At first glance, Messages for iOS 10 looks a lot like Facebook Messenger. But it’s clear that other popular messaging apps, such as Snapchat and WhatsApp were also in Apple’s crosshairs when they were developing the latest Messages. And this can only mean one thing – that it could quickly become the go-to communication device for iDevice users.

From emojis and stickers to bubble effects and handwritten notes, mastering all of the new features could take some time.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get into the basics of the new Messages.

Requirements & Caveats

If you want to use the new Messages, you need iOS 10. In addition, you need to be using a compatible device. This means you’ll need an iPad 4, iPad mini 2, an iPhone 5 or later, or a sixth-generation iPod touch.

In order to take advantage of all of the new features, you will also need to be using iMessage. Otherwise, SMS messages will be converted to MMS messages, and this could incur additional fees with your service provider. Might as well avoid unnecessary costs while you’re busy having fun, right?

What’s New With Messages?

We’ve alluded to some of the new features already, but we haven’t really gotten into any specifics yet. We know you’re eager to delve in, so let’s take a look. This standout update of Messages gives you:

The ability to convert written text into emoji.

New bubble animations.

Handwritten notes.

Full-Screen iMessage animations.

The ability to hide images or text behind an invisible message.

Tapback: respond to messages quickly and visually.

New stickers for iMessage speech bubbles.

The ability to search images and videos with Messages.

Preview websites in Messages.

The ability to take photos and videos within Messages.

The ability to listen to music within Messages.

Now let’s take a look at how to take advantage of these new features.

Emojis

If you’ve used emojis in your messages before, then you already know how they work. But the new emojis on Messages are three times as large, and aren’t constrained by the size of speech bubbles, which makes them more readable.

With predictive typing, finding emojis is easier than ever. Simply start typing, and corresponding emojis will appear in the QuickType bar, just above the keyboard. Tap to add any emojis you want.

You can also add emojis after typing your message by switching to the emoji keyboard. iOS will automatically highlight, in orange, words that can be replaced by an emoji. This is also how you would add emojis to your conversation without predictive typing.

Replying With Tapbacks

The Tapback feature is very similar to Facebook’s “like” options. To use a Tapback:

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